Wed Mar 19 23:30:00 UTC 2025: ## US Detains Indian Researcher, Accused of Hamas Ties
**Washington, D.C.** – A researcher from India, Badar Khan Suri, has been arrested in Virginia and faces deportation from the United States. Suri, a researcher at Georgetown University, was taken into custody by federal agents on Monday. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleges Suri has links to Hamas and has engaged in antisemitic activities on social media. His visa has been revoked.
Suri has challenged his arrest and potential deportation in immigration court, arguing that the government’s actions are based on his wife’s Palestinian heritage and that he has no criminal record. He completed his PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi and has conducted research on peacekeeping in Iraq and Afghanistan. His wife is an American citizen of Palestinian descent; DHS identifies her father as a key figure within Hamas.
This arrest follows a similar incident last year involving a Columbia University student who was also deported under immigration laws targeting non-citizens deemed a threat to national security. The DHS has also utilized a new app, CBP One, to facilitate the self-deportation of individuals, including a Columbia University student who participated in pro-Palestinian protests. The DHS Secretary, Kristi Noem, has justified these actions as necessary to prevent individuals supporting militant organizations from residing in the United States. The case has sparked debate regarding national security, individual rights, and the influence of politics on academic institutions.
First Piper 